John Malkovich makes minor magic in 'The Great Buck Howard'

AP PhotoJohn Malkovich stars as the title character in "The Great Buck Howard."

Buck Howard is always on.

Some performers can flip a switch on their public persona and be a normal human being behind closed doors. Not Buck. He's a "mentalist" who performs "effects" -- don't call him a "magician" with "tricks" -- and, one presumes, it's much easier if you're never out of character to convince others your hypnotism and sleight-of-hand are amazing, impossible feats.

In "The Great Buck Howard," we never get a glimpse into Buck's (John Malkovich) inner world. That's surprising, because the film is narrated by Troy (Colin Hanks), who works as Buck's personal assistant. Truth be told, there's nothing "personal" about the job. Troy must accept Buck's "effects" at face value, because all secrets are kept under mental lock and key. Sometimes, Buck claims to know what others are thinking, but no one will ever know what he's thinking.

Writer/director Sean McGinly based Buck on real-life illusionist and frequent "Tonight Show" guest The Amazing Kreskin, having worked as his road manager for a while. So we only see Buck through Troy's eyes: His cornball stage show, performed to sparse audiences, is two steps from vaudeville and certainly not worthy of his celebrity-egotist tantrums.

Buck is in the twilight of his career; Troy is struggling to find his. To the chagrin of his father (Tom Hanks, in a cameo), Troy drops out of law school because he wants to be a writer. But the bills must be paid. Not knowing what else to do, he grabs the gig as Buck's lickspittle until he can get his act together.

Malkovich plays a slack-jawed Buck who is variously moronic and malevolent -- but more moron than anything else. Buck always is performing, even when he doesn't need to be. He's a slippery character, and it's a challenge to put him at the center of a screenplay. McGinley modestly succeeds by keeping the tempo upbeat and the humor light.

This isn't a peek into the darkest recesses of celebrity; it's a slight, enjoyable comedy/coming-of-age story with a bona fide nut providing laughs and a narrative peg.